Common Hawk Cuckoo

02 March 2023

Two days back I wrote on the common hawk cuckoo which I encountered at Amruthahalli lake here. I was baffled and excited simultaneously on spotting the bird.

Today I went with hope of spotting the bird again and was not disappointed. After encircling the lake promenade for half the way, I found the bird calmly perched on the bland tree. The focus was clear but light was not apt. Thanks to the patience of bird, I could clearly capture it with meagre shutter of 1/80s. I hope the bird would be visible in bright light too! With sparse vegetation surrounding Amruthahalli lake, I doubt if this bird would stay here for long. Either it reached here for sojourn or other lakes seems to be overcrowded. I saw it intermittently flying to ground to pick worms. Lot of blanket worms crawl over the trail of lake which bird seems to consume. As per eBird they consume hairy caterpillars reason due to which the bird seems to be landed in neighboring lake. eBird also suggests that bird rarely descends down but this one was frequently picking evening meal from ground. Looks like even birds change behavior over time.

The bird was friendly and photogenic. It heard the shutter noise, saw me close. In spite of my activity, it neither looked at me suspiciously nor flew away! In fact it showed-off its hawk alike plumage which I was unable to capture due to poor light. The bird was hardly 10feet away and allowed me to click multiple pictures. It was me who finally moved away due to increasing darkness and reducing shutter speed. Hope to see the bird in bright sunlight in coming days.

The fuzzy behavior of birds drives me nuts. The bird was impossible to capture in my village perhaps due to less familiar human presence. Similar bird was unfazed by humans and an easy grab in Bengaluru. Looks like it is accustomed to urban environment. Simultaneously it teaches lessons of patience. The things you sweat for, comes with least effort when you don't expect.

Update on 15th March

I thought the bird was just passer by. But it is still hanging around the lake. I see it close even today during daily walk! Looks like it wants to dwell in the lake island.

Check out my Bird Series blogs here : NKBirdSeries